


The Death of Hope

by Antleredlord



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Aerys Targaryen (mentioned) - Freeform, Angst, At the Start of the Rebellion, Brandon Stark (mentioned) - Freeform, Lyanna Stark (mentioned) - Freeform, Pre - Robert's Rebellion, Rhaegar Targaryen (mentioned) - Freeform, The Vale of Arryn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:13:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22579906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antleredlord/pseuds/Antleredlord
Summary: Word has reached the Vale of Arryn that Lyanna Stark has gone missing. Brandon is on his way to King's Landing to secure her release, but Robert Baratheon wants to act, to strike out against those that stole his would-be-bride.
Kudos: 9





	The Death of Hope

“We have to act _now_.” Robert yelled, his fists slamming down onto the table. He was the only one at the council who wasn’t sitting. His blood was boiling, and it was all he could do not to start throwing things across the room until people started listening.

Lord Arryn didn’t flinch. He hardly made any sign at all that he had even heard the Lord of the Stormlands speak. His eyes remained fixed on his ward, however, and when he finally did speak, he did so quietly and calmly, as he always did.

“It will not do to act on impulses, Robert.”

“Like hell it won’t!” Robert stormed before Jon Arryn had even finished speaking. The rest of the room remained silent, choosing to keep their tongues out of it and let the Lord of the Vale deal with Robert’s fury. Ned Stark was there, as usual, but this time he sat representing his House. Brynden Tully was in attendance too, on behalf of his brother, Hoster Tully, the Lord of the Riverlands. Brandon Stark had ridden South mere days before his wedding to Catelyn Tully. It was Brynden that brought this news to the Vale. Among them was also various Lords from the Vale with whom Lord Arryn took council. 

“Robert,” Jon started once more, his tone remaining calm and still, as if he was dealing with an unruly child, “Brandon Stark is on his way to King’s Landing now to inquire about Lyanna’s whereabouts –“

“Exactly! Let the King be distracted by Brandon. That gives us the perfect chance to call together our army and march on that vile son of his and free Lyanna from his captivity.”

“What if she’s not held captive by him?”

It was Ned that spoke this time, and a silence followed his words. All the heads turned to the quiet wolf as he spoke, but they all whipped back around to watch Robert and see what his reaction would be. A few tense moments passed in silence. Robert heard the words. He also heard the second meaning in those words. The fear that had even passed through Robert’s mind once or twice. It was a thought that made him sick to his stomach, one that tore the air from his lungs and made the world feel a little bit darker. Robert and Ned’s eyes were locked onto one another. Ned worded his query carefully, so that most people would see only the surface of the question. The question that maybe it was someone else that held her captive. But the other meaning was there and Robert was sure that Ned was trying to convey that one to him and only him. _What if she wasn’t held captive at all?_

Robert’s fists were clenched, his fingers digging into his palm. He could practically hear the anger pulsing through his veins, a muffled roar in his ears. “What do you mean, Stark?” He finally managed to pry the words out of his clenched jaw. His eyes still bore into Ned’s, trying to decipher whether or not there was something Ned wasn’t telling him. 

Ned must have guessed, because he subtly shook his head with a sigh, “All I am saying is that she could be anywhere. I doubt he would bring her to Dragonstone. He could be keeping her anywhere, in any castle or keep. Even if we did amass an army, we wouldn’t know where to march.”

“Well put,” Jon cut in, and Robert forced his attention back on the man he called father, “We know very little right now. All we know is what has come to us in bits and pieces from different witnesses. Brandon will be in King’s Landing any day. Once there he will get information, and even if they don’t release her, he will bring back some information that will help us in deciding our next step.”

There was a mumble of agreement that echoed throughout the room from the various Lords. 

Robert let out half a laugh, but it was void of all humor, “So, what? You suggest we just sit here and wait?”

“For now, yes,” Jon nodded, and he spoke as if the matter was resolved. 

“And you are okay with this, Ned?” Robert turned to his friend, “You are all just fine with sitting here idly while Lyanna is out there captive, terrified. Who knows what sort of horrors she is going through? She could be being raped as we speak, and you are just fine with that?”

“Robert,” It was Jon again, who spoke in that same tone that Robert knew so well, “Have hope, son, she may be perfectly safe.”

“Hope? What good is hope?” Robert pushed up from the table and looked to the sky, his head shaking in disbelief, “No, wait, don’t answer that, I already know the answer. There is nothing good that can come from hope. All hope does is build you up for defeat. It makes you believe in better things. It makes you think your dreams might come true. It puts you up on a mountain of false optimism, leaving you teetering dangerously on the peek. Oh, sure, its fine when you are up there. You have moments of pure happiness, of optimism that things will be better. Maybe, just this once, things will turn out the way they should. The world turns into a land of unique possibilities. You try things you never thought were possible before. Sure, its beautiful up there on that peak, but it never lasts. You are up there barely long enough to understand it when reality comes in and gives you a push. The real world is not one of hope and optimism, and you will fall down, down, down, further than you thought possible. When you finally reach the bottom you will keep going even further, because the higher your hopes were, the harder and further you fall. Your whole world crumbles apart, the rainbows disappear, and then you see the world for what it really is. This isn’t a world for hope, and anyone who thinks otherwise is in for a rude awakening.”

There was a silence once more that stretched across the room. Robert looked to Jon, but he couldn’t comprehend the look on his face. Was that what pity looked like? Or was it worse? 

After a few seconds that were stretched thin, Jon stood from his seat, “The matter is settled, we will await news of Brandon. Thank you all for coming.”

Robert kicked the chair and then turned from the room, slamming the door behind him. There was no arguing with the old man at that point, he had learned that long ago.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a short piece I wrote in order to get myself warmed back up after taking a break from writing.


End file.
